Some Chinese Ghosts Lafcadio Hearn 9781494473570 Books
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Some Chinese Ghosts Lafcadio Hearn 9781494473570 Books
This isn't one of Hearn's best works. I know he was using the material he had at hand, but these tales came off rather tepid. I can't help but think that he might've set all these stories aside and not included them in Kwaidan since they were weaker. They are still worth a read, but go in with some lowered expectations if you've already read Kwaidan.Product details
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Some Chinese Ghosts Lafcadio Hearn 9781494473570 Books Reviews
A good collection of ghost stories. I would recommend the first edition over this edition, mainly because it is nicer on the eyes.
Lafcadio Hearn wrote for people who weren't going anywhere. In the late nineteenth century only the wealthiest, or most desperate people traveled far from their place of birth. For everyone else, Lafcadio Hearn wrote beautifully descriptive prose describing people, flora and fauna of exotic places. In this collection, Hearn takes the dry translations of missionaries, and scholarly writing about China, and transforms the original documents into six exotic and very beautiful fairy tales. Hearn calls them ghost stories, but they have far more in common with Arthur Rackham than with M.R. James.
The language in these stories is vivid, almost baroque, with wonderful images of shifting, delicate colors and exotic locations.
People who love this short book, will probably love his book about his experiences in the Caribbean, as well as his wonderful stories from Japan.
In his introduction to "Some Chinese Ghosts," written in 1886, Lafcadio Hearn states that he was searching for tales of "weird beauty," of the elegance hidden within Oriental tales of the supernatural which evoked a mood more than outright fright or horror.
It is interesting to note that this was Hearn's first exploration of the topic that would be his lasting legacy. "Some Chinese Ghosts" was written when he was still living in New Orleans, a year before he would journey abroad to the West Indies and four years before he would land in Japan for the first time in 1890 and there spend the rest of his life.
In what would become the template for his future works, including his most famous folklore collection Kwaidan Stories And Studies Of Strange Things, in "Some Chinese Ghosts" Hearn gathered together those legends that represented the mood he was searching for, either from translated volumes or from the legends of those around him.
Like much of Hearn's work, "Some Chinese Ghosts" is in the Public Domain, and thus available in many different editions as well as free on the internet. This volume by Dover Publications is the same size and style as their release of Kwaidan Ghost Stories and Strange Tales of Old Japan and is the same size and style. Unlike the Dover "Kwaidan" release, however, "Some Chinese Ghosts" is not illustrated and contains only the text. The same text, with additional Hearn writings, can be found in the collections Oriental Ghost Stories and Lafcadio Hearn American Writings.
The book contains six stories in total, many of which would not be considered "ghost stories" in the Western sense. They illustrate Chinese sensibilities and religion, with different morals and consequences.
In the back are Hearn's original notes for each tale, detailing where he found the original and speculating on the tale's meaning. There is also a Glossary for unfamiliar terms and history.
The stories are
The Soul of the Great Bell - The Emperor commands an impossible task, demanding a bell be created that can be heard for a hundred ri. If the bell makers are unable to complete the bell, they shall all lose their lives, and only the daughter of the Master Bell Maker knows what sacrifices to the gods are necessary.
The Story of Ming-Y - A cautionary tale typical of Oriental weird fiction where Ming-Y, an accomplished and admired young man, catches the eye of Sie, a beautiful and deadly supernatural creature.
The Legend of Tchi-Niu - A slightly different take on the same theme, an earnest and hard-working man named Tong is rewarded for honoring his ancestors with a beautiful wife who is more than she seems.
The Return of Yen-Tchin-King - A legend based on the Emperor's continual quest for the potion of immortality.
The Tradition of the Tea-Plant - A fanciful legend of the celestial origins of that altogether wonderful plant, tea.
The Tale of the Porcelain-God - In another legend typical of Oriental folktales, an artists labors too hard seeking perfection in his craft, and the cost of such perfection.
A wonderful look into the past !
Excellent seller!
The author's writing style is very archaic and it failed to really engage me. Apparently Hearn was inspired by Chinese legend and folklore but the stories may not be completely authentically Chinese in their retelling because of his style.
This isn't one of Hearn's best works. I know he was using the material he had at hand, but these tales came off rather tepid. I can't help but think that he might've set all these stories aside and not included them in Kwaidan since they were weaker. They are still worth a read, but go in with some lowered expectations if you've already read Kwaidan.
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